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With the off-season yet to really get underway, I figured it'd be a good time to do a Q&A post and share some thoughts on what the Calgary Flames have done so far and what they could do in the coming weeks and months.
Let's get right to it.
I'd say he's a definite upgrade. His power plays generally haven't been all that great in terms of generating shot volume, however, they've been pretty good at putting the puck in the net – and that's what matters most.
In 2015-16, Travis Zajac, Lee Stempniak, Jacob Josefson and David Schlemko were among the most frequently used players on the man advantage. The Devils somehow ranked 9th in goals/60 that year.
In 2016-17 the Devils took a step back ranking 22nd in power play goals/60 but, again, the personnel wasn't great.
This past year Ward had legitimate talent to work with in Taylor Hall, Nico Hischier, Will Butcher, Kyle Palmieri, etc. and the Devils jumped back up to 11th in power play goals/60.
In New Jersey, Ward never had a net-front player of Matthew Tkachuk's to work with. He never had a pure finisher like Sean Monahan. He never had elite puck movers like Dougie Hamilton or Mark Giordano. And he still had two top-11 power plays in terms of goals/60.
I think he'll do well with the Flames.
I think T.J. Brodie is the most likely guy to go. While he had a down year by his standards, there should still be plenty of interest in a smooth-skating defender who produced at a 36 point pace for a non-playoff team that struggled to put the puck in the net.
If the Flames are adamant about moving back into the 1st round, Brodie can help them do that. If they'd prefer an established forward to improve the offense, Brodie can fetch that.
As for which defender should go, I'd stick with Brodie. They're not trading Mark Giordano. They're not selling low on Travis Hamonic. And they should most definitely not trade a borderline Norris candidate in Dougie Hamilton.
That leaves Brodie as the odd-man out if the Flames want to get something meaningful in return.
It's well documented
I think trading Dougie Hamilton would be a horrible idea. If they're going to entertain the idea, I think a young, top-line caliber forward is an absolute must.
Last season Hamilton was one of 14 right-handed defenders to a) average more than 20 minutes per game; b) produce at least 40 points and; c) post a positive Corsi For% relative to the team.
He has tallied 10+ goals and 40+ points in four consecutive years. He's still only 24 and he's signed long term at a very affordable price considering what he brings to the table. Clearly, there aren't many guys like him.
For trading Hamilton to be worthwhile a guy like William Nylander or Mikko Rantanen would have to be coming back.
That'd be a no for me. Hamilton is a high-end top pairing defender. Damon Severson is probably best suited for the 2nd pairing and Pavel Zacha looks like he'll be a middle-6 center. If you're trading Hamilton, you need a sure-fire high-end guy in return.
Quite honestly, I haven't seen the Flames linked to many names yet. Brad Treliving generally does a good job of keeping his hand close to his vest.
I don't think it's any secret the Flames want to add more scoring help.
One guy I'd love to see them target is Ilya Kovalchuk. His KHL numbers suggest he's still capable of being a pretty consistent contributor at the NHL level and his shot would certainly make the Flames more dangerous on the power play.
An under the radar option I could see them taking a run at: Antoine Roussel. The Flames need to upgrade their bottom-6 and he'd be a nice place to start.
He's coming off a bit of a down year but from 2013-17 he tallied at least 12 goals and 25 points each season. He's finished with a 50% Corsi or better in five consecutive years and he hits like a tank. The Flames have talked about wanting to toughen up a bit and Roussel is a guy who could help them do that while actually playing solid hockey.
Recent posts:
Don Maloney hints at Flames' off-season plans
Contract projections for the Flames' pending free agents
Revisiting my 2017-18 Western Conference predictions
The Flames should avoid Jay Beagle in free agency
Dynamite U21 seasons from Andersson + Kylington put them in good company
The Brodie - Hamonic pairing was a disaster in Year 1
The Flames should not trade Dougie Hamilton
The Flames should make a play for Ilya Kovalchuk
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